Ding Yun, once her injuries recovered to the point where she could walk, used an excuse to visit the Imperial Palace's Scripture Pavilion. While perusing various scriptures and secret manuals within, she feigned enlightenment and underwent a grand phenomenon of spiritual energy surging through her body.
This not only fully healed her injuries but also significantly boosted her cultivation, reaching the peak of the Heaven and Human realm.
Enlightenment has always been a rare occurrence, and Ding Yun didn't want to overdo it, so she opted for a one-time, decisive advancement to avoid future complications.
The external manifestation was an enormous vortex of spiritual energy appearing abruptly above the Imperial Palace's Scripture Pavilion. Countless spiritual energies surged and leaped, causing a spectacular phenomenon. Soon after, even sunlight seemed to be drawn in, dyeing the clouds above the Scripture Pavilion golden in broad daylight.
Simultaneously, an abundance of martial arts intent dissipated.
It was almost an exact replica of the enlightenment phenomena recorded in historical texts, with the only difference being that the phenomenon Ding Yun conjured was even grander. This was all a meticulously simulated spectacle, created through her formidable mental power and some advanced equipment.
Such a commotion naturally could not be hidden from others.
Before long, Emperor Qianyu noticed and rushed to the Scripture Pavilion. He inquired with the staff and, upon learning that only his daughter was inside, burst into joyous laughter.
Following this, people outside the palace noticed the phenomenon and, while marveling, began to discuss it.
...
Zhuangyuan Restaurant, fourth floor.
All the diners on the entire floor curiously set down their chopsticks and bowls, crowding around the windows that offered a view of the Imperial Palace's enlightenment phenomenon, eagerly craning their necks to look outside.
The two at the very front were almost pushed off by the crowd behind them.
Fortunately, someone nearby pulled them back, and others shouted for the crowd to stop pushing, warning that more pressure would send people over the edge. This helped stabilize the situation slightly.
"What's going on? I can't see anything!"
Those in the back, having heard how close the people in front came to falling, dared not push anymore. However, standing at the back, they couldn't see what was happening and could only ask loudly.
In response, someone at the front enthusiastically explained:
"There's a phenomenon in the Imperial Palace. It looks like quite a spectacle, but it doesn't seem like a fight. It's more like a rare treasure emerging or someone breaking through something.
It should be a good thing, but I wonder what it is..."
"Oh, dear, lacking culture, aren't we? Golden auspicious clouds, spiritual energy vortexes, and even from this distance, you can vaguely sense some martial arts intent.
It's clearly someone achieving enlightenment, and a quite powerful one at that, more so than what's recorded in history books.
What a shame it happened in the Imperial Palace. If it had happened outside, I would have begged, crawled, and even offered my old face just to absorb some of that martial arts intent. This stuff is absolutely essential for breaking through to the Grandmaster realm. If I could just get a whiff of it, even if I don't break through immediately, my future breakthroughs would be smoother. It's such a pity, I can't benefit from it!"
Compared to the ignorant speculation, those who understood the situation were not only correcting the misconceptions but also lamenting their misfortune, beating their chests in regret, because enlightenment is so incredibly rare.
If one could meditate in the vicinity of someone achieving enlightenment, it would definitely save them years of hard work.
With good luck, a breakthrough might even be possible.
Unfortunately, the object of this enlightenment was within the Imperial Palace. Although they didn't know who it was, they certainly wouldn't be allowed in. The benefit was clearly visible, yet utterly out of reach.
What a disheartening and painful situation!
After learning that the phenomenon at the Imperial Palace was due to someone achieving enlightenment, the crowd quickly shifted to discussing, or rather, speculating, about who it might be.
"Could it be some eunuch or palace maid?"
Decades ago, when the imperial palace housed a hundred princes and princesses, no one would have thought that someone achieving enlightenment within the palace would be a eunuch or a maid. They would have assumed it was a prince or princess.
Princes and princesses, prodigies of heaven.
Even if they achieved enlightenment, it wouldn't be strange.
But things are different now. The Emperor Qianyu is severely injured, and the only princess was recently the victim of an assassination attempt, lying severely wounded in bed. The possibility of either of these two achieving enlightenment is too low.
As for the remaining concubines and former consorts, none were known for exceptional talent.
Therefore, many people couldn't help but think it might be a talented eunuch or palace maid in the imperial palace who suddenly achieved enlightenment. They would sigh with regret that such potential was wasted by entering the palace. If they hadn't joined the palace and had been discovered by martial arts sects, they would likely be true disciples or holy sons by now.
"That's unlikely. While enlightenment is related to talent, without access to a vast reservoir of knowledge, it's impossible to achieve it. Have you ever seen an illiterate person achieve enlightenment? Impossible.
If you ask me, it might just be His Majesty who achieved enlightenment.
His Majesty's talent has always been good. More than a decade ago, he, at the Martial Saint realm, forcefully killed an evil god at the Half-step Martial God realm, along with dozens of rebellious peak Martial Saints. Although he has been severely injured in recent years, there's always the possibility of a phoenix being reborn from ashes!"
"That's possible, but the phenomenon outside doesn't seem like it. If His Majesty achieved enlightenment and was undergoing rebirth, even if he couldn't successfully break through to the Martial God realm, breaking through to Half-step Martial God should be a certainty. Yet, the current phenomenon's aura doesn't even touch the edges of a Martial Saint.
Therefore, it's absolutely not His Majesty achieving enlightenment.
It should be a junior, not even a Martial Saint, most likely a Master or Grandmaster, at most in the Heaven and Human realm. Their cultivation absolutely cannot be higher than that.
They are in a completely different league from His Majesty."
"Then who could it be? It couldn't be the princess who was recently grievously injured and nearly died, could it?
As far as I know, she only broke through to the Congenital realm at sixteen after consuming a Congenital Pill. Her talent is such that, forget enlightenment, whether she can even break through to the Master realm is questionable."
"Um, I have a bold guess. Do you think this phenomenon might have been deliberately created by His Majesty, intending to use it to promote the princess to the throne?"
"Hiss..."
"There's actually a possibility. I heard the reason officials and royal family members opposed His Majesty appointing a Crown Princess was their belief that the princess's abilities were insufficient. Her governing capabilities are debatable, but her insufficient Congenital realm is undeniable.
His Majesty, aiming to address this point, might resort to a forced growth.
It's not impossible..."
"I recall that secret arts like the Tantric empowerment techniques and the Yi Hua Palace's 'Wedding Dress Divine Skill' have the ability to forcibly boost someone's cultivation. Although the cost is significant, and if not careful, the giver might not only have their martial arts completely abolished but could also perish on the spot.
But if it were His Majesty, finding a few Grandmasters, or even Heaven and Human realm cultivators, to sacrifice their cultivation...
It doesn't seem like a difficult task."
"If that's the case, His Majesty's resolve to pass the throne to his daughter must be quite firm."
"If I had no son, I would certainly prefer to pass my legacy to my daughter rather than let it fall into someone else's hands. No matter how close collateral blood relatives are, they are not as dear as one's own daughter..."
As they were engrossed in discussion, the owner of Zhuangyuan Restaurant, overhearing their conversation, hurried in and cautioned them against discussing such sensitive matters.
Their restaurant could not afford to offend anyone.